Hannaford Installing AEDs at All Stores
In conjunction with American Heart Month in February, Hannaford Supermarkets is installing automated external defibrillators (AEDs) at all of its stores. AEDs are lightweight portable devices that deliver an electric shock through the chest to the heart. The shock can potentially stop an irregular heartbeat and allow a normal rhythm to resume following sudden cardiac arrest.
Along with the installation, Hannaford associates will receive hands-on training on best practices for AED use, with a special focus on safety for customers and associates, in partnership with Dublin, Ohio-based AED provider Cardio Partners. Hannaford also has a number of AEDs throughout its corporate campus.
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“All of us at Hannaford are deeply committed to extending care to our customers and associates,” noted Hannaford Supermarkets Director of Operations Bob Hatem, who’s leading the AED installation with other retail leaders. “We recognize that our stores are not immune to instances of cardiac arrest. Having AEDs readily available and ensuring our associates are trained on their deployment is an important step in protecting the heart health of the individuals in our stores.”
“We commend Hannaford Supermarkets for being a community leader when it comes to the heart health and safety of its customers and associates,” said Brian Shankey, executive director of the American Heart Association (AHA) in Northern New England. “AEDs are a vital link in the chain of survival for someone suffering from sudden cardiac arrest. Having AEDs available in public locations makes them more quickly accessible, and thereby, able to save more lives.”
According to the Dallas-based AHA, sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death in the United States, with more than 350,000 cardiac arrests occurring outside of hospitals annually.
Scarborough, Maine-based Hannaford operates 185 stores in five Northeast states, employing nearly 30,000 associates. Parent company Ahold Delhaize USA, a division of Zaandam, Netherlands-based Ahold Delhaize, is No. 10 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.
